Orvana Receives $7.5 Million Additional Cash Payment for Copperwood - Outstanding Short Term Loan Facility Not to be Renewed

TSX:ORV

Dollar amounts are in U.S. dollars unless stated otherwise.

• Cash position now $15.9 million
• Total Debt Position $5.4 million

TORONTO, Dec. 16, 2014 /CNW/- Orvana Minerals Corp. (TSX:ORV) (the "Company" or "Orvana"), announced today that it has received the additional $7.5 million cash payment, which includes interest of $0.5 million, from Highland Copper Company Inc. ("Highland") relating to the sale of the Copperwood Project ("Copperwood") located in Michigan, U.S.A.

The base purchase price for Copperwood was $20 million. On closing of the sale to Highland on June 17, 2014, Orvana received a cash payment of $13.0 million and a secured promissory note in the amount of $7.0 million plus interest fully repayable no later than December 15, 2014.

As previously disclosed, an additional consideration of up to $5.0 million may be paid by Highland in cash or shares of Highland, at Orvana's option, with $2.5 million payable no later than the fourth anniversary of the closing and $2.5 million payable following commercial production if the copper price reaches certain thresholds.

Furthermore, Orvana announced today that the availability period for its $6.5 million short-term loan facility from Fabulosa Mines Limited ended on December 15, 2014.  The Company has not renewed the facility and has started the process to release the associated security.

With the final base purchase price payment from the Copperwood sale received, Orvana's current cash position is $15.9 million and its total debt stands at an estimated $5.4 million.  The outstanding loans represent various short-term facilities associated with the Don Mario Mine in Bolivia.

About Orvana

Orvana Minerals is a multi-mine gold and copper producer. Orvana's operating assets consist of the producing EVBC gold-copper mines in northern Spain and the producing gold-copper-silver Don Mario Mine in Bolivia. Additional information is available at Orvana's website (www.orvana.com).

Forward Looking Disclaimer

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, potentials, future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "believes", "expects" "plans", "estimates" or "intends" or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "are projected to" be taken or achieved) are not statements of historical fact, but are forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements herein relate to, among other things, Orvana's ability to achieve improvement in free cash flow; the potential to extend the mine life of each of Orvana's mines beyond the life of mine estimate therefor; Orvana's ability to optimize its assets to deliver shareholder value; Orvana's ability to optimize production; the Company's ability to emerge stronger from the turnaround work executed at EVBC in 2014; estimates of future production, operating costs and capital expenditures; mineral resource and reserve estimates; statements and information regarding future feasibility studies and their results; future transactions; future metal prices; the ability to achieve additional growth and geographic diversification; future financial performance, including the ability to increase cash flow and profits; future financing requirements; and mine development plans.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Orvana as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. The estimates and assumptions of Orvana contained or incorporated by reference in this news release, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to, the various assumptions set forth herein and in the Company's most recently filed Management's Discussion & Analysis and Annual Information Form in respect of the Company's most recently completed fiscal year (the "Company Disclosures"), or as otherwise expressly incorporated herein by reference as well as: there being no significant disruptions affecting operations, whether due to labour disruptions, supply disruptions, power disruptions, damage to equipment or otherwise; permitting, development, operations, expansion and acquisitions at the EVBC and Don Mario Mines being consistent with the Company's current expectations; political developments in any jurisdiction in which the Company operates being consistent with its current expectations; certain price assumptions for gold, copper and silver; prices for key supplies being approximately consistent with current levels; production and cost of sales forecasts meeting expectations; the accuracy of the Company's current mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates; and labour and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with Orvana's current expectations.

A variety of inherent risks, uncertainties and factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, affect the operations, performance and results of the Company and its business, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results expressed or implied by forward looking statements. Some of these risks, uncertainties and factors include fluctuations in the price of gold, silver and copper; the need to recalculate estimates of resources based on actual production experience; the failure to achieve production estimates; variations in the grade of ore mined; variations in the cost of operations; variations in the costs associated with the suspension of mining at Carlés; the availability of qualified personnel; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain all necessary regulatory approvals and licenses; the Company's ability to use cyanide in its mining operations; risks generally associated with mineral exploration and development, including the Company's ability to continue to operate the EVBC Mines and/or the Don Mario Mine; the Company's ability to acquire and develop mineral properties and to successfully integrate such acquisitions; the Company's ability to obtain financing when required on terms that are acceptable to the Company; the Company's ability to execute on its strategy; challenges to the Company's interests in its property and mineral rights; current, pending and proposed legislative or regulatory developments or changes in political, social or economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates; general economic conditions worldwide; and the risks identified in the Company Disclosures under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties". This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements and reference should also be made to the Company Disclosures for a description of additional risk factors.

Forward-looking statements are based on management's current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions and, except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions change. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Cautionary Notes to Investors - Reserve and Resource Estimates

In accordance with applicable Canadian securities regulatory requirements, all mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates of the Company disclosed in this news release have been prepared as at September 30, 2014 in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), classified in accordance with Canadian Institute of Mining Metallurgy and Petroleum's "CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves Definitions and Guidelines" (the "CIM Guidelines").

Pursuant to the CIM Guidelines, mineral resources have a higher degree of uncertainty than mineral Reserves as to their existence as well as their economic and legal feasibility. Inferred mineral resources, when compared with measured or indicated mineral resources, have the least certainty as to their existence, and it cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will be upgraded to an indicated or measured mineral resource as a result of continued exploration. Pursuant to NI 43-101, inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of any economic analysis, including any feasibility study. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of a mineral resource exists, will ever be converted into a mineral Reserve, or is or will ever be economically or legally mineable or recovered.

SOURCE Orvana Minerals Corp.